Mental Health - What's That?

Mental Health is about finding a balance betweenblasé about their own mental health - or that of
dealing with the difficulties in life and using thetheir friends, family or colleagues. The Mental Power
opportunities life presents for further development.Foundation uses research and practical projects to
Mental power is primary in helping create good things inhelp people survive, recover from and prevent mental
our life, and is the vehicle that helps us work towardhealth problems. Mental health problems are painful -
our hopes, dreams and aspirations. Mental health is faremotionally, physically, spiritually and socially.
more than the absence of mental illness and has to doStress, depression and panic attacks are common
with many aspects of our lives including. The mentalconditions and they can all be successfully treated.
health issues may mean an increased risk of alcoholStress plays an important role in mental health. People
abuse, smoking and poor diet and physical fitness.just don't taking account of the fact it's just as life
Anxiety, stress and depression can make copingthreatening and just as distressing as these major
difficult for seniors who are often facing the physical,other illnesses. Such people often set themselves up
emotional and economic changes associated withfor added stress by the rigid expectations that they
aging. For instance, everyone I know that deals withhold. Some therapists suggest that by using positive
hypertension, diabetes, or asthma cope maladaptive toself-talk and trying to restructure the WAY we look at
stress; they have anxiety issues yet don't get referredevents can offset the physical and mental effects of
to psych. Most people with an anxiety disorder will trydealing with negative or stressful events in life.
to avoid exposure to whatever triggers their anxiety.Symptoms of Mental Illness Persistent sad, anxious or
In anxiety disorders, people tend to get anxious when"empty" mood Agitation, irritability, restlessness,
they are faced with a particular situation. So, formoodiness Withdrawal from community, social
example, as a mental health nurse you could be helpingsituations or formerly enjoyed activities Feelings of guilt,
to care for and support a mother with severeworthlessness, helplessness or burden Feelings of
post-natal depression young man facing thehopelessness and negativity Physical complaints that
complexities of a mental illness such as schizophreniaare hard to explain and resistant to treatment such as
someone experiencing anxiety and panic attacksdigestive disorders, headaches, heart palpitations and
which prevent them from functioning normally. Mentalchronic pain Denial of obvious problems Increasing
Power Signs the Symptoms in younger children.inability to cope with daily challenges, activities or small
Depression and anxiety are the most common healthproblems Overuse of alcohol, medications and/or
conditions.drugs There are many types of mental illnesses.
Depression is a real condition and isn't just "life.African Americans in this study did not show a
Depression, the fastest-growing cause of long-termsignificant relationship between depressive symptoms
disability in Canada, is the most common among thisand high-effort coping strategies, while Caribbean
type of disorder, which includes bipolar disorder (alsoBlacks and white Americans experienced increasing
known as manic depression), dysthymia, and seasonalsymptoms of depression linked to increasingly
affective disorder. The research team has also foundhigh-effort coping, in relationship to other beliefs and
that stress at work is associated with a 50 per centvalues. Anxiety panic attack symptoms are impacting
excess risk of coronary heart disease, and there isthe quality of life of millions of people worldwide. The
consistent evidence that jobs with high demands, lowtype, intensity, and duration of symptoms vary from
control, and effort-reward imbalance are risk factorsperson to person, but all mental illnesses are treatable.
for mental and physical health problems (majorMental health is the key to overall physical health.
depression, anxiety disorders, and substance useMental health is a human rights issue. But mental health
disorders).is far more than merely the absence of mental illness.
With mental health problems affecting one in fourMental health problems can't always be seen, but the
people in this region, and now among the main reasonssymptoms can be recognized.
for absence from work, no-one can afford to be